Enviro News Asia, London – Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni has reaffirmed Indonesia’s commitment to leading the global transition from climate ambition to real implementation through stronger forestry governance, high-integrity carbon market development, and conservation financing innovation, speaking at the Indonesia Climate Leadership Luncheon held at the Houses of Parliament, Westminster, London, as part of London Climate Action Week 2026.
The event, organized by the APPG Indonesia in cooperation with Kadin Indonesia and supported by Equatorise Advisory and London Climate Action Week, was attended by members of the British Parliament, Indonesian and British government officials, business actors, financial institutions, investors, international organizations, and global carbon market leaders.
The Minister highlighted Indonesia’s concrete progress in forest management and climate action, including the reduction of forest and land fire area from 2.61 million hectares in 2015 to around 359,000 hectares in 2025 through strengthened prevention, integrated monitoring, peatland management, field operations, and consistent law enforcement.
He also noted that the Social Forestry Program has granted management access to more than 8.3 million hectares for communities, benefiting around 1.4 million households, while the recognition of customary forests continues to be accelerated as part of strengthening communities’ role in protecting forests.
The Minister reaffirmed that Indonesia’s forests are the main pillar in achieving the FOLU Net Sink 2030 target, which will make the forestry and other land use sector a net emission absorber by 2030. To support this, the government continues to strengthen carbon market governance through Presidential Regulation No. 110 of 2025 and Ministerial Regulations No. 6 and No. 7 of 2026, providing regulatory certainty for carbon activities in the forestry sector.
The Minister’s remarks drew an enthusiastic response from forum participants, particularly his announcement of a major milestone in Indonesia’s forestry carbon market development.
“On July 6, the Ministry of Forestry will issue approvals and facilitate the issuance of forestry carbon credits with a volume exceeding 30 million tonnes of CO₂e. This is one of the most significant milestones in the development of Indonesia’s forest carbon market and demonstrates our commitment to translating policy ambition into real market opportunities,” the Minister said.
The announcement was welcomed with broad appreciation from business leaders, investors, carbon market actors, and international partners present, who viewed it as signaling Indonesia’s readiness to become one of the world’s leading suppliers of high-integrity, nature-based carbon credits while opening up larger-scale green investment opportunities.
Discussion sessions on carbon markets and conservation highlighted the importance of integrity, transparency, and quality in global carbon market development, while sessions on green capital mobilization and energy transition drew perspectives from the international business and finance community on the need to strengthen connectivity between carbon markets, investment, and sustainable development.
The Minister also introduced a range of innovative government steps in conservation financing, including the establishment of the National Park Innovative Financing Task Force through Presidential Decree No. 8 of 2026, which is developing instruments such as carbon financing, biodiversity credits, ecosystem restoration investment, sustainable nature tourism, and blended finance to support the management of Indonesia’s 57 national parks.
The Minister said Indonesia and the United Kingdom hold significant opportunities to strengthen partnerships in sustainable finance, market infrastructure, governance, and climate financing innovation, expected to accelerate nature protection, green investment mobilization, and the creation of sustainable economic opportunities for communities.
Closing his remarks, the Minister affirmed that Indonesia does not merely want to be part of the global transition to a low-carbon economy, but aims to lead that transformation through credible, high-integrity nature-based climate solutions that deliver real benefits for communities. (*)
